Greek coast guard divers seize cocaine from cargo ship

Greek authorities say coast guard divers have seized more than 46 kilograms (101 pounds) of cocaine found hidden behind a water intake grate in the hull of a cargo ship that arrived in Greece from Brazil.

The coast guard said Tuesday it had seized the drugs the previous day following information passed to Greek authorities by the US Drug Enforcement Administration. Twenty-three crew members of the Marshall Islands-flagged Syros cargo ship were arrested.

Video released by the coast guard shows a diver unscrewing a grate from the side of the ship under the waterline, and removing a large black waterproof bag which contained 46.7 kilograms of cocaine in 38 plastic packages.

The drug bust comes four days after Greek authorities said another DEA tip led to the seizure of more than four tons of cannabis hidden in a shipment of industrial cupcake machines that arrived in Greece from Lebanon.

The Skyros had set sail from the Brazilian port of Santarem heading for Corinth in Greece with a cargo of soy, the coast guard said. [AP]